My True Love Gave to Me
by WhiteViolet
Summary: Twelve Sevmione Christmases, following the development of their relationship, starting with Hermione's first year as a Hogwarts professor. Basically just holiday fluff.
1. Twelve Cold Angry Glares

**A/N: Hello! This is my holiday fic, which is a little twist on the 12 Days of Christmas. Instead, we're looking at twelve years of Christmases between Severus and Hermione. Drarry will also be present, but I really don't know how much yet. I'll upload a chapter a day, and the last will be posted Christmas day (I won't be offended if you don't read it on actual Christmas, I promise). I hope you like it, and Happy Holidays!**

* * *

Snow was falling hard, swirling around in the wind and piling deep on the grounds. The castle was especially drafty tonight as the temperatures sank lower and lower. This winter was harsh, even for Scotland, and it was only going to get colder. Hogwarts really was beautiful, despite the frigid temperatures- students bundled in cloaks were huddled around tables in the Great Hall, their chatter and laughter filling the room and providing a warm atmosphere. Christmas trees lined the walls and the ceiling mirrored the snowfall outside.

The few students who had stayed behind for the holidays appeared to be having a good holiday, even though they weren't able to go home- some had been left by their parents, and others just didn't have a home to go back to; the war had ended nearly four years ago, but so much had been lost. Wizarding Britain was still being rebuilt, and they had a long way to go. It was getting better every day, though, and things were expected to be more-or-less normal by this time next year.

A lot had changed in the years since the war, notably Hermione Granger. She had earned her Mastery in Transfiguration and taken over for Professor McGonagall this year so the elder witch could focus more on her duties as Headmistress. She had gone away to Germany to study and had been pleased to see how far Britain had come in her time away.

Now, she was seated at the Head Table between Hagrid, who was still as warm and kind as he had been when she was a student, and Professor Snape, who Hermione now had mixed feelings towards. Of course she held him in the highest respect for all he'd endured during the war, and seeing Harry eventually forgive him had helped some, but she could still remember the horrible things he'd said and done during her years under his tutelage. She knew he was absolutely brilliant- even as a student she'd known this to some degree, but in her past three months as his colleague, her eyes had more than opened to his intelligence.

Now that he was actually taking care of himself, he wasn't too bad looking, either.

Hermione suddenly found herself choking on whatever food was in her mouth (she'd been so lost in thought that she wasn't paying the least bit attention) and as she coughed, she felt her elbow dig into something. Regaining control of herself and trying to figure out where _that_ thought had come from, she sipped on her water and glanced at Professor Snape, who was scowling down at her. It took her a moment to figure out why until she realized she hadn't elbowed some _thing_ , she'd elbowed some _one_. Oops…

Sending an apologetic smile his way and sighing to herself when he just turned away, Hermione spent the rest of dinner focusing entirely on eating her meal and not at all on those dark eyes and long hands and…

Oh, boy… it was going to be a long meal.

* * *

Not much later, once she'd made it through the rest of dinner without embarrassing herself further, Hermione was walking back to her office to finish grading exams when she tripped over an uneven stone on the floor. A small shriek escaped her and she prepared herself to hit the ground, but before she could fall completely, there were hands on her arms, pulling her back to her feet.

"Perhaps it would do you well to watch your step, Miss Granger," Snape drawled, glaring down at her for the second time in the past hour.

"Professor Granger," she corrected. "And thank you for catching me." Without looking back at his face- which would surely still be cold- Hermione continued her trek back to her office. Had she chanced a look back, though, she would have seen an expression that could almost be classified as surprised.

As it were, she made it back to her destination in one piece, and flung herself into her chair. She really wasn't sure how she felt about Severus Snape, but she definitely wanted him to see that she was a respectable professor. After tonight, she doubted that would be happening anytime soon. But really, why was he being so cold- it was Christmas Eve, for Merlin's sake! Hermione shook her head. That was just the way he was, and she'd just have to accept it.

For her part, Hermione was excited to be able to spend Christmas at Hogwarts again. Her years in Germany had been wonderful, but this was her home, especially since her parents had regained their memories and consequently decided that they wanted nothing more to do with her. Last year had been the first year in a while she'd spent Christmas with anyone, and that had been at Harry and Draco's flat in Diagon Alley.

"Surprised" was an understatement for her reaction to finding out about _that_ little development, but she was truly happy for the two. When she'd left Britain, the boys had still been at each other's throats, and three years later, she received an invitation to stay with them for the holidays. She'd been skeptical at first, but they balanced each other out well and Harry had recently told her that he was beginning to think about proposing (Hermione had squealed and actually jumped with joy for her friends).

Focusing again on the work before her, Hermione spent the next two hours reading over her students' work, grading firmly but leaving commentary where she could. By the time she'd reached the end of her first stack of papers, it was time for her rounds.

She wasn't quite sure what the point of rounds was when there were so few students at the castle, but she still began her trek around the school. By the time she was nearly finished, she could tell that no more grading would be done that night, so she began moving towards the library. She'd already read her way through it all, but there were a few she wouldn't mind reading again.

Hermione sighed with happiness when she entered- the room smelled strongly of books, and that was something she'd never tire of. Running her fingers along the spines as she went, Hermione took her time deciding which book to take with her. Once she made up her mind, she heard something. Looking around her, she didn't see anything. Deciding to look more thoroughly, she couldn't stop herself from thinking that maybe _this_ was why they still had rounds over the winter holiday. Turning a corner, she found herself face to face with a glaring Professor Snape for the third time that night.

"Professor Snape, you startled me," she said quietly. "I thought I was the only one in here."

"Well, it appears you thought wrong, Miss Granger."

He cast a quick tempus charm, which Hermione glanced at. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be going back to my rooms," he said snidely.

"It's Professor Granger," she said as she stepped aside. "And Merry Christmas, Professor."

She didn't miss the falter in his step, but she didn't mention it. Instead, she watched as he glided out of the library without looking back.

* * *

Before going to bed that night, Hermione thought, mostly about Snape. She had realized he likely spent the holidays by himself, and was now determined that no matter how much he infuriated her with his snark, she would make sure he knew he wasn't alone by the end of Christmas day, even if it killed her. Some part of her mind told her that it possibly would, but she told it to hush and turned out the lights.

Hermione dreamed of Severus Snape. It wasn't anything strange or scandalous- in fact, it was quite believable. She was walking around the castle and she ran into him, and his only response was an ice-cold glare. This dream occurred three times before Hermione decided to sit up with the book she'd taken until she could get her thoughts under control. Snape glared at her enough in real life; she didn't need that in sleep, too.

After an hour of flipping through pages and not absorbing any of the words, Hermione set the book aside and went to make a cup of tea. It seemed as if this was just going to be one of those nights where sleep evaded her.

Perhaps a change of scenery would also be helpful. Pulling on her dressing gown and grabbing her tea, Hermione left her rooms and went to the big window at the end of the hall to watch the snow fall in the night. It was freezing out and she could feel the cold coming through the glass, but the tea and the night were calming her. It was a beautiful night, and Hermione could see the moonlight reflecting off the snowy grounds. A few stars peeked through gaps in the clouds, and the scene had a bit of a sparkling effect.

No sooner had she finally relaxed when a voice called out to her.

"And just what do you think you're doing out of bed at this hour?"

Of course it was the very man she was trying not to think about. Of course she didn't hear him come up behind her. Of course she was so startled she jumped and her tea slipped from her hands, the cup shattering on the stone floor.

Turning around, Hermione tried to glare, but had a feeling it came across more as a sheepish smile than anything else. Not that her glare would have matched the one he was currently giving her, anyway.

She knelt down to pick up the pieces of her favorite cup- Draco had actually gotten it for her; there were irises around the sides, which were her favorite. As she gently pulled the broken pieces from the remnants of her tea, she didn't see one of the sharper edges in the darkness.

"Damn," she muttered.

"What was that?"

He was much closer than he had been before, and he just looked bored now. Well, that was marginally better than the frosty glare, she supposed.

"Nothing, Professor, just cut my hand a bit," she answered, hoping he would just let her finish cleaning this up without any more difficulty.

But Merlin forbid he make this easy for her. No, he instead knelt next to her, carefully taking her injured hand and looking at it under the light of his wand. He reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a small vial, because of course he carried dittany with him, and poured it over the gash across her palm. She hissed as the wound closed, but other than that she didn't react. She didn't think about how his touch was gentle, and she definitely didn't think about how warm and soft his hands were.

Realizing he was finished, she looked back at his face, only to see him glaring again.

"Thank you," she murmured.

"Yes, well, do be more careful, Miss Granger."

He turned on his heel and was halfway down the corridor by the time Hermione had gathered her thoughts enough to softly call out, "It's Professor Granger," before rising and going the opposite direction.

She didn't notice that her cup was whole again.

* * *

Hermione woke on her couch with an open book on her lap. Her neck and back were sore and she was exhausted, but it was Christmas morning! She looked around her sitting room and saw the small stack of gifts waiting for her. Smiling, she went to make tea before she started, and it wasn't until she was pouring the milk in that she realized that this cup had been in pieces only a few hours ago. She had been planning on fixing it in the morning, but here it was. She was fairly sure she hadn't done it, so that only left…

Professor Severus Snape had healed her hand and then, without her even noticing, proceeded to fix her favorite tea cup, probably without even knowing how much she loved it.

 _Who is this man?_

Shaking her head with a small smile, she took her time opening her gifts. Chocolates from Ron and Harry (some things never change), a sweater from Mrs. Weasley, a random assortment of things she'd never use from George, new transfiguration books from Minerva, and some new tea blends that Draco had been working on. Hermione smiled, trying not to think about how there wasn't anything from Professor Snape. It wasn't like she'd gotten him anything this year, after all. She vowed then that next year, that would change.

Finally getting ready for the day ahead of her, Hermione went down to breakfast. She smiled at Professor Snape on her way in, but she was met with yet another glare. Hermione would have been lying if she said she was surprised.

The rest of her Christmas went much the same way- she passed Professor Snape in the corridor again that afternoon and was glared at again, and the same happened at dinner that evening.

By the time dinner was over, Hermione was bored and decided that she would do some more grading to pass the time. She got quite a bit done, and was nearing the very last of it when she came across a paper that wasn't making any sense. It had absolutely nothing to do with turning a rat into a chalice- in fact, it had nothing to do with transfiguration at all. Scanning through it, Hermione soon realized that this paper was actually a potions paper, and the student who'd turned it in must have switched the assignments by mistake.

Sighing, Hermione took the paper and made her way quickly down to Professor Snape's office in the dungeon. Knocking twice, Hermione waited for the dour man to come to the door.

She wasn't disappointed- the door flew open and a glaring Snape was there to greet her. Hermione couldn't help it; her mind automatically compared him to the Grinch, and she found herself stifling giggles as she was let into his office.

"What could I possibly do for you, Miss Granger?"

"It's Professor Granger. One of my- well, our students mixed up their assignments. I believe you will find a transfiguration paper somewhere in your grading to be done for your second years," she said as she slid the potions assignment to him across his desk. He glanced it over and sighed.

"Idiot," he muttered under his breath.

Hermione bit her tongue to keep herself from saying anything. Instead she took a seat as she waited for Snape to flip through his papers in search of the desired document.

"If it would make it easier, I wouldn't mind helping with your marking, Professor," she offered quietly. Snape glanced up at her and stared for a moment before handing a quill and a portion of the work to her.

"You know how I grade. Don't be gentle, it won't do them any good."

"Of course not," she replied absentmindedly.

If she'd been looking, she would have seen his smirk, as well as the transfiguration paper sitting next to the stack of work he was marking.

No, Hermione didn't notice this, but she did notice the change in atmosphere in the small office. It was warmer than usual, and she didn't mean in temperature. It felt… less hostile. She found that she actually liked it there when Snape was being decent.

She spent an hour on Snape's marking before she felt her exhaustion overcoming her, and she was slowly falling asleep over her work. It was only then that the lone transfiguration paper was placed in front of her.

"I… appreciate your assistance, but it is late and I think enough has been done for tonight."

"Thank you for finding the correct assignment, Professor Snape," she said. "Merry Christmas."

As she closed the door behind her, she was almost positive she heard a soft, "And to you, Professor Granger."


	2. Eleven Covert Glances

**A/N: Hello! I'm not quite sure how I feel about this one; Severus didn't want to cooperate with my original plan, and he was a little bit more awkward about the whole thing than I thought he'd be. Oh, well, better luck next time. Enjoy!**

* * *

Hermione walked out of the faculty meeting with a sigh. She'd known that they came with the job, but she'd underestimated just how boring they'd be. Part of her had hoped that her thoughts would change after her first year, but that didn't seem to be the case. At least now she had someone to suffer through them with.

In the past twelve months, she and a certain Potions professor had become quite good friends. After last Christmas, Hermione had started going on more late-night trips to the library, and many of those had ended up with her going to his office, where they would work on their marking over cups of tea. This slowly evolved into long talks about anything and everything academic, and every night this occurred Hermione left the small office feeling as if she'd learned something new from him.

They spoke to each other over meals now, and even when they didn't, the silence was comfortable rather than tense or awkward. He didn't glare at her so often now, either, for which Hermione was grateful.

He'd also finally began allowing her to call his Severus, and despite the fact he'd been regarding her by her first name for three months when it happened, Hermione didn't miss the fact that she'd earned his respect and he was subtly telling her that he saw her as an equal rather than being beneath him. When she'd told Harry and Draco, the blond had smiled knowingly, and Harry had been mock-offended because he wasn't even on a first name basis with Severus.

Before they'd become more friendly, Hermione had never paid Severus much attention at the staff meetings, but Merlin, had she been missing out. Throughout the meetings he did these small, almost imperceptible things to throw the meetings off track. For the most part, they were only noticeable if you were looking for them, like when Pomona's stack of papers mysteriously toppled over when she began talking about Neville's work in the greenhouses earlier that afternoon. He only did it when he felt one of the staff members was being "particularly irritating" or he was "immensely bored, in which case anyone I can't stand is in danger." At first, Hermione had a hard time knowing when things were truly accidental or when Severus was behind it, but now she knew to look for the satisfied smirk he hid behind the newspaper he read as he pretended to ignore the meeting altogether.

She didn't miss the way his eyes would flash quickly towards her, like today. She only bit back a smile in return, but she knew he could tell he'd amused her.

Of course any time she brought up his antics, he fervently denied everything, but she knew. In the past year, Hermione had learned that it was such a _Severus_ thing for him to do. He had a habit of finding small ways to amuse himself, especially because he'd always spent much of his time alone. Hermione would swear that he got off on the fact that nobody suspected him of a thing.

"Shall we finish our marking, or have you had enough of your students' drivel for the day?" came a soft voice from behind her.

Hermione smiled up at him. "Oh, let's just get it over with; I'm nearly finished."

He answered with a nod, and the two walked side by side down to the dungeons. This was usual for them, and the students still at the castle didn't even blink when they saw their beloved Professor Granger going to the dungeon bat's lair. She didn't think she'd ever forget their faces in the beginning; she couldn't help but smile every time she thought about it.

Severus just so happened to notice, and his gaze subtly shifted to the witch's face. Hermione pretended she didn't see. If she hadn't turned her head just the right way to move her curs out of her face, she was positive she wouldn't have seen it at all.

As they neared the bottom of the staircase that went down to the dungeon, Hermione tripped on the last step. With embarrassing flashbacks to last year, she felt herself falling, only to be caught by the same set of hands as the time before. Her cheeks flushed, and she was sure that they were darker than he'd ever seen them. Refusing to meet his eyes, Hermione murmured her thanks and kept walking, determined not to make another misstep. She missed the small smile that had come with his third shy glance at her that day.

Their grading went as smoothly as ever, and Hermione stayed to help Severus after she'd finished her own. She left afterwards, though- she had to finish wrapping gifts for tomorrow. Normally, she'd have had it done a week ago, but there had been one that she'd had to get just right. It had taken her a long time to find the perfect gift for her newest friend, but she was proud of herself.

Hermione didn't see Severus watch her go, but she thought she could feel his eyes on her. She smiled to herself and she felt her blood rising in her cheeks again. He really was a sweet man. Maybe, just maybe… but no, they were just friends. She was just looking too much into things.

With another sigh, Hermione let her mind wander and just made her way quickly back to her rooms. She pulled her remaining gifts out from their hiding place and got to work.

Severus had been much harder to shop for than she'd first anticipated. Anything too closely related to potions was obvious and felt impersonal, and she didn't know much about him personally- Hermione didn't know if she ever would, but she hoped so. Something- well, everything about Severus Snape fascinated her. At the same time, though, anything too personal would come across as creepy, and she didn't think that would go over very well.

So, what did one get in such a situation?

The answer had come to her in the middle of class one afternoon, and she couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it sooner. Hermione had been so excited that she'd left for Hogsmeade almost immediately after her last class ended.

She bought a nice selection of good-quality cauldrons, knives, and other instruments, shrinking them and tucking them away into her beaded bag. When she returned to the castle, she'd gone straight to work on them. It had taken a long time, but she had finally done it- there were enough charms in everything to keep almost anything made with them from going wrong. She'd done her best to think of each and every thing she could possibly need to protect against, but worried she may have missed something.

In the corner of her mind, she wondered if he'd think she was insulting his skills as the only Potions Master in Great Britain, but she was really going for "I care about your safety and I also know you can only handle so much frustration in one day, so hopefully these are helpful."

Writing out a quick note that said almost exactly that, Hermione checked that everything was ready to be delivered in the morning and, satisfied, went to bed. She'd been with Severus much longer than she thought, and planned to see him again tomorrow.

If Hermione dreamt about Severus for the second Christmas Eve in a row, well, that was okay, wasn't it?

* * *

When she woke, Hermione rolled out of bed almost reluctantly. She really wasn't one for mornings. Then, as she stepped into the sitting room, she remembered it was Christmas. How on earth had she possibly forgotten? Sitting down next to the little tree Hagrid had helped her bring up, she opened her gifts. They were very similar to last year's, but Hermione didn't mind. She hadn't changed much in the past year, and she knew from experience that Draco's tea had only improved since last Christmas.

Just when she thought she was finished, something shiny caught her eye. It was hidden in the back, but there was definitely one last gift under her tree. Tentatively pulling it towards her, Hermione inspected it carefully, not seeing any indication of who it was from. Doing her best not to hope that it was from who she really wanted it to be from, she slowly unwrapped it.

Before her was one of the rarest transfiguration tomes she knew of. She'd wanted to read it since she'd learned of it during her second year in Germany. Hermione was hesitant to touch it- she could only stare at it completely awestruck. Finally, she reached out a finger and gently ran it down the spine, and then she opened the front cover. She was surprised to see a note inside.

 _You may have read your way through Hogwarts' library, but I doubt you've had a chance to get your hands on a copy of this. Now you have one of your very own._

 _Tell me what you think of it when you're finished; I admit myself to be curious._

 _Merry Christmas._

Hermione knew she had to be smiling like an idiot, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She would recognize that spidery scrawl anywhere.

Leave it to Severus to be so dramatic in his gift-giving.

Setting everything else she'd received aside for later, Hermione settled in, thrilled to have a new book to read. She was completely lost in the words before her less than halfway through the first page.

* * *

Rising for the first time since she'd started the book from Severus, Hermione cast a quick tempus and gasped. It was nearly seven at night- she'd been in the same spot for nine hours! She hadn't eaten a thing all day, and her stomach was quick to remind her. Throwing on some clothes without really paying attention, Hermione walked quickly to the kitchens.

The elves were happy to see her, something Hermione was still getting used to. Ever since she'd returned as a professor and reassured the elves that she'd stopped her S.P.E.W. campaign, they'd acted as if the entire incident had never happened. They made her hot chocolate and pot roast eagerly, preparing entirely too much food. Well, she'd thought it was too much, but with this being her first meal since dinner the night before, she ate all of it. Hermione briefly wondered if she'd regret it, but decided that the elves' cooking was so good that it would probably be worth it.

On her way back to her rooms, Hermione stopped and suddenly changed directions. She found herself stood outside Severus' office, and she knocked softly on the door.

He opened it almost immediately, and stepped aside wordlessly to allow her entrance. Severus turned and faced her, and Hermione noted that his eyes kept darting around, as if trying to take in her appearance.

"Hermione, what brings you here?"

"I just came to wish you a merry Christmas, Severus," she said casually.

Severus rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm sure that's it exactly."

"Okay, well, it's part of it, at least."

"So what's the rest of it?"

"Well, I actually just wanted to thank you- that book is absolutely amazing, Severus! How on earth did you get a copy?"

"I'm sure I haven't any idea what you're talking about, but you're welcome. As for how I acquired it, that is none of your business, nosy witch."

Hermione laughed. "Fair enough."

Then she noticed he was still observing her curiously. She didn't want to, but she counted his glances until she got to seven before looking down at herself.

"What is it? I wasn't really paying too much attention, but to be fair I was starving and I just really needed to eat."

Continuing to look herself over, Hermione groaned. Not only was her shirt buttoned up all wrong, but it was also inside out. On top of that, she was pretty sure her pants were on backwards. _Lovely_.

"What? Why on earth did you go all day without eating? You're supposed to be brilliant, and that should include the ability to take care of yourself."

Hermione smiled sheepishly. "Like I said, that book is amazing."

"You mean to tell me you got so lost in a book that you forgot to- well, anything other than read the book?"

"Yes, actually. It's not like it's the first time it's happened; I just haven't had the time for it recently. I forgot how wonderful it was."

Severus merely rolled his eyes again. "If you say so."

"I do," she retorted. "Well, I think I'm going to return to my rooms- not only do I look ridiculous, but I think I'm nearly done with the book! Good night, Severus!"

"Good night, Hermione."

* * *

When she got back to her room, Hermione noticed a small piece of paper sitting on her end table. Picking it up and glancing at it, she smiled again.

 _Thank you._

It was the same scrawl that was in the newest addition to her library, and she kept the note with her until she set it gently under her pillow. This wasn't going anywhere.


	3. Ten Cheeks-a-Flushing

**A/N: Hi everyone! I apologize for any mistakes you may come across; I had to get up really early for a consultation with an oral surgeon this morning, so most of this chapter was written while I was hyped up on caffeine and cookies-and-cream poptarts. Hopefully it came out alright, and I'll see you again tomorrow!**

* * *

 _Wow, another year gone_ , Hermione thought. She couldn't believe she was halfway through her third year of teaching already; it was going by so fast! This winter was much milder so far than her past two in Britain had been, and Hermione planned to take advantage of this. She'd been planning to go on the last Hogsmeade trip earlier in the month, but she'd come down with the flu and had spent much of that weekend in her rooms taking potions that Severus brought her.

But now, with snow falling lightly, Hermione was on her way out of the castle. She had just made it to the doors when she heard a voice calling her from behind.

"Professor Granger!"

Hermione stopped and turned, only to see one of her students approaching her. She recognized the girl as a third year Slytherin- Jasmine McGee reminded Hermione strongly of herself as a student. If she wasn't mistaken, Hermione was almost positive that the girl had the highest grade of all Hermione's third years.

"Yes, Miss McGee?"

Jasmine had been running to catch up, and the poor girl was terribly out of breath. Hermione gave her a moment to recover before answering, and the girl didn't disappoint.

"I just- well, earlier I overheard you saying that you needed to go to Hogsmeade sometime today, and I really just kind of assumed that that was where you're going now. Anyway, I was wondering if maybe I could come with you?"

Taking a moment to think it over, Hermione didn't really see any reason why not. She might even enjoy the company.

"If you would like, I don't mind. You'll just have to stay with me at all times. Understood?"

The girl nodded eagerly, and with a small smile, Hermione sent a patronus to Minerva to inform the older witch that Jasmine would be accompanying her.

"Well, that's done. Shall we?" she asked, holding the door open for Jasmine before following her out into the cold.

Their walk across the grounds was a quiet one, but not at all awkward. Hermione noted that Jasmine seemed to be very at-ease with her. She smiled to herself- ever since she'd been offered the teaching position, she'd dreamt of being a professor that her students could always feel comfortable with. It wasn't that she disapproved of, say, Severus' scare tactics- she knew potion making could be very dangerous, and it was important to get that point across- but, aside from the fact she normally wasn't intimidating enough to pull it off, it just didn't feel right to her. Every professor had their own unique teaching style; it was just a matter of finding it and using it most effectively. She could only hope she was doing a good enough job of it.

Once Hogsmeade was in sight, Hermione decided she should probably figure out where the girl needed to go.

"Jasmine, if you don't mind me asking, what did you need to come to Hogsmeade for?"

"Oh. Right. Well, on our last visit, I wanted to get something to send my parents- they've been travelling a lot and are in Laos for the next week- but I didn't have my allowance yet. My grandparents sent it a few days ago, but I was starting to worry that I wouldn't be able to make it in time."

Hermione smiled. "So what were you planning on getting for them?"

"My parents are very into research- when we've travelled before, they were always taking notes and collecting samples of everything! I was thinking maybe something along those lines. The problem is that I don't know what the best thing to do is. Could you help me?"

"Of course," Hermione agreed. "I'm sure they have plenty of journals with them on their trip, as it sounds like they've been gone for some time. It also sounds as if they're very experienced with collecting specimens on their travels." She took a moment to think. "Perhaps some customized tools? Not only would it be practical, but they could think of you every time they use them. I'm sure we can find somewhere that could help you, if you would like."

Jasmine nodded quickly. "That sounds perfect! Where should we look first?"

"Hmm… maybe someone at Dervish and Banges can come up with something. You could go ahead and start thinking about exactly what you would like on the way," Hermione suggested. Jasmine went quiet and Hermione could practically see the gears turning in the girl's mind. With a gentle hand on her shoulder, Hermione steered Jasmine through the crowd and to their destination.

The man at the front of the shop was very helpful, and Jasmine launched into a surprisingly detailed description of what she had in mind for her parents. Hermione was impressed; the girl had put much more thought into this than she'd expected. As the man took note of everything and made a few suggestions here and there, Hermione waited patiently.

When Jasmine was satisfied, an agreement was made that she and Hermione would stop by the shop to pick everything up on their way back to the castle.

Back in the busy streets of Hogsmeade, Hermione led Jasmine from shop to shop, picking up books, sweets, and a few other little trinkets. Then she found herself stuck. She was having a similar dilemma as she'd had the year before- what, exactly, did one do for Severus Snape? They had grown closer still in the past year, but Hermione still didn't know much about the man personally. He was very private, which she respected, but it made buying gifts so much harder!

"Um, Professor Granger?"

Pulled from her thoughts, Hermione looked down at Jasmine and gestured for her to continue.

"Not to cross any lines, but if you're trying to decide what to get for Professor Snape, last week in class he was complaining about all of us dunderheads wasting so many of his potions ingredients. He even had to go into his private stores for a few things. Maybe you could replenish what we took?"

Not knowing how the girl had known who she was thinking about, Hermione turned her head slightly to try and hide her faint blush. By the smile on Jasmine's face, she hadn't succeeded.

With a shake of her head, Hermione thought it over. "I'm actually surprised I haven't heard about this until now- don't tell him I told you, but this is the kind of thing he'd complain about over dinner. Imagine his face if he were presented with exactly what he was short on without having mentioned it in front of me… This could prove to be quite amusing. I like it," she grinned.

Jasmine smiled back. "I think I remember everything we needed. I know there was definitely asphodel, silverweed, goosegrass…"

Hermione was committing each to memory, and at the end of Jasmine's list (which was admittedly longer than she'd thought it was going to be), she and the girl made a beeline for the apothecary.

With a basket full of Severus' lacking ingredients, Hermione and Jasmine went to pick up the finished jars, knives, and other tools for the younger witch's parents and made their way back to the castle. Hermione had enjoyed her time with Jasmine, and told the girl so as they parted ways.

Sighing to herself, Hermione dropped her things off in her rooms before going to the Great Hall for a late dinner- she and the girl had been out later than she'd thought). The room was empty with the exception of a lone elf. When it saw Hermione, it ran right over and began offering Hermione so many different things she didn't even know what to choose. Laughing, she asked the elf to surprise her. With a beaming smile, the little elf nodded and disappeared, presumably to the kitchen.

"I have a feeling you will be pleased with your decision while simultaneously regretting it."

Whirling around, Hermione faced a smirking Severus. Cheeks flaming, she mock-glared at him. "Must you be always be such a pain in the arse, Severus?"

His smirk only widened. "Language, Professor," he tsked. "And yes, I'm afraid I must."

"Even on Christmas Eve?"

"Oh, especially then."

Despite the fact his expression was one of sarcasm and mocking, Hermione could hear the smile in his voice. The light in his eyes was what really gave him away, but she couldn't think about how it lit his whole face up and made him look so happy and carefree and _wonderful_ or she'd-

Damn it. Hermione felt blood rush to her face again, internally groaning at herself. She was a grown woman, and as such was more than capable of handling what was surely just a crush on a man she happened to find intriguing. That was all there was to it.

Right?

If she let herself really focus on it, she'd say that no, it was so much more than that- or it was getting there, at least. But then all she had to do was remind herself that Severus Snape would never look at her that way; she had never been the most desirable witch- something she was often grateful for. Once she snapped herself out of it, she could focus on her work or lose herself in a book, both of which were more productive and likely more worth her time than hopeless daydreams.

Then- because sometimes she was completely lacking in self-control- she would think about their discussions over dinner, their good-natured banter while doing their marking, the way he'd given her potions from his own supply rather than making new batches or taking some from the infirmary for the sole purpose of getting them to her more quickly, or how he looked at her as if he could see straight into her soul- exactly how he was looking at her in that moment, she realized as she came out of her thoughts.

The elf from before chose that moment to reappear, for which Hermione was grateful. It set the food on the nearest table and vanished, and as Hermione looked it over, she realized there was enough for both she and Severus.

They both sat, and as they tucked in, silence crept in. Hermione could feel it getting awkward, so she suddenly asked Severus how his day had been.

Apparently he had plenty to gripe about today, so Hermione settled in and listened as he ranted about the most random things.

The thought that she could do this all day didn't bother her a bit.

* * *

In the morning, Hermione made herself presentable as fast as possible, grabbing the basket with all the jars of potions ingredients and walking quickly to the dungeons. She knocked on Severus' office door, bouncing on her heels as she waited.

When it eventually opened, Hermione was faced with a tired-looking Severus. His hair was rumpled and he had a dressing gown on over his pajamas, and Hermione vaguely realized that maybe not everybody got up as early as she did on Christmas morning (the fact that she had run past the gifts waiting for her in her rooms without a second glance wouldn't register until later).

"Hermione, what on earth are you doing here at," he cast a quick tempus,"eight-thirty in the bloody morning?"

She blushed. "Sorry, Severus. I planned to deliver my gift in person this year, but I didn't even think to check the time before I left. I can come back later."

He sighed. "You may as well stay, as you're already here. Come in," he said, letting her into the office that had come to feel as familiar as her own.

She sat in her usual chair in front of his desk, and was pleasantly surprised when he sat next to her rather than on the other side of the desk. Hermione watched as he raised a hand and a box came flying to him. Severus handed it over wordlessly, and Hermione gave him the basket of carefully wrapped jars in return.

Tearing methodically into the wrapping, she was both surprised and excited to find a small stack of journals. Picking the top one over and inspecting it, she realized quickly what this was.

Years ago, Severus and Minerva had been working on a project that combined both their skills. Severus had brought it up in passing once but had never elaborated, but now she knew why. Here, in a box on her lap, was all of their research on the subject. She couldn't wait to learn about what they'd done together; she had always been interested in the effects of bringing different kinds of magic together.

Looking up from the journals and beaming at Severus, she immediately noticed the look of confusion on his face. He'd unwrapped everything and was now looking at it all as if he wasn't sure why it was there. As if he knew she was watching, Severus turned to her.

"How?"

He didn't need to say more; Hermione knew what he was asking.

"A little bird told me," she smiled, cheeks faintly pink.

"' _A little bird_ '?" he responded, sounding a bit incredulous.

"Well," Hermione said as she rose, "a little snake, technically, but surely you know what I meant." Opening the door, she looked back with a small grin, suddenly feeling shy. "Merry Christmas, Severus."

With that, she turned and left him staring at the basket, smiling like an idiot the entire way back to her rooms because she, Hermione Granger, had surprised Severus Snape.

And she was pretty sure she'd never let him forget it.


	4. Nine Tries at Romance

**A/N: This one's a little short, but I'm happy with how it came out and it felt like a good place to stop. I ask you all to keep in mind that I haven't any experience with relationships at all (I'm serious, I've never even been asked on a date). So, if it feels lacking- here or anywhere else- it's probably due to the fact that I don't actually know what I'm talking about and I'm just pulling from what I've read/seen on TV/in movies. Enjoy:)**

* * *

"No, no, no, that's not at all how it went! She was definitely flirting with you, Severus. The eyes, the shorter skirt, that heart-warming giggle… just admit it- Umbridge was definitely looking to bed you when she was here," Hermione said laughingly.

She lost it at the look of absolute disgust that came over his face. "As much as I _appreciate_ that repulsive visual, I'm going to do my very best to never think about that again for as long as I live."

As the pair approached the Great Hall, Severus reached to open the door and held it open for Hermione before following behind her. Hermione was still trying to regain her composure, but she quickly nodded her thanks. The Hall was mostly empty; there were fewer students staying at the castle for Christmas than there had been since Hermione had started teaching. Their banter continued as they walked to the Head Table, and Severus stepped around Hermione to pull out her chair before pushing her in.

"Thank you, Severus," she murmured, beginning to reach for some turkey.

She made a mental note that he was being uncharacteristically gentlemanly today. The two were still very friendly, of course, but not quite to this extent. Not that it wasn't appreciated- very much the opposite, actually. Hermione had been fighting her growing feelings for Severus for at least the past year, but she was very strongly convinced that nothing would ever come of it.

Especially since the end of the war, Severus was very desirable to most of the witches in Britain. It wasn't necessarily that they wanted him because they wanted, well, _him,_ but they were definitely after his fame and newly-positive reputation. In the beginning, it had driven him mad (so he'd told her) but after he'd finally gotten most of them to bugger off, it was as if the whole thing had never happened. In truth, Hermione wouldn't have known about any of it if he hadn't mentioned it.

However, hearing him tell the tale hadn't done much for Hermione's confidence. If he hadn't been interested in anyone in the past, there was no way he'd ever look at her that way. She wasn't the most beautiful, nor was she the most experienced on any front in a relationship. After the war, she'd briefly been with Ron, but after a messy breakup not even three months in, they didn't see each other very often. Hermione had heard how undesirable she was her entire life. Most of the time, she had no trouble not giving a shit, but there were times like this where every mean thing in memory came back to haunt her.

"Hermione…?"

It was only with a small poke in the arm that Hermione realized she'd gotten so lost in thought that she hadn't any idea what Severus had been talking about for however long.

"Sorry, what?" she asked, smiling sheepishly.

Severus smirked knowingly and the conversation picked right back up again, all of Hermione's insecurities forgotten for the time being. It was amazing how just talking to him could affect her attitude.

When they'd finished eating, Hermione and Severus had decided to make a quick run to the library; Severus was in the process of putting together a new assignment for next year, and needed a point of reference of what, exactly, the students would have readily available aside from whatever notes they took (or failed to take, in most cases) in his class.

On their way, they passed a couple of the few students who remained in the castle. Hermione nodded and smiled, otherwise not paying them any attention. Severus, though, halted and stopped the boys in their tracks.

"Mister Lewis, Mister Brillion, I would very much like to think I misheard you. Do repeat yourselves," he drawled, tone full of warning.

Hermione was puzzled. _What could they have possibly said that would be bad enough to set him off?_

The two boys' cheeks flushed in embarrassment at having been caught, but they remained silent. Severus' glare deepened.

"We were just talking about transfiguration!" said one of the boys- Brillion, Hermione thought. She was fairly certain that he wasn't telling the whole truth; Severus wouldn't have made so much trouble over something so petty. Well, yes he would have, but she still felt there was something more.

Sure enough, the other boy sighed. "Alright, alright. To be perfectly honest, we were just wondering how good of a shag Professor Granger would be," he said, smirking pretentiously.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione sighed. _Seventh year boys. Merlin, I almost forgot how immature they can be._

"Oh, so I did hear you correctly. This is very unfortunate for the two of you indeed. I believe a week's detentions with me when classes resume will do, and you will both apologize to Professor Granger immediately."

Muttering their most 'sincere' apologies, the pair frowned up at Severus.

"It would serve you well to treat _all_ of your professors with the utmost respect; do bear that in mind."

With that, Severus turned and offered his arm to Hermione, who took it with a small smile.

"My knight in shining armor," she murmured.

Severus chuckled softly. "Don't you know it."

* * *

When Hermione woke the next morning, as much as she wanted to think about how it was Christmas and she should be enjoying her day, she had too much to do. Somehow she had fallen behind in her marking and she needed to have it done by tomorrow. If she stayed in her rooms, she was likely to distract herself, so she got dressed and left her room with an impressive stack of essays. She was in a rush, and she briefly looked down to check that she had everything she needed as she walked. It was as she flipped past her fourth years' work that she collided with a solid torso and her papers went flying from her hands.

Looking up, she realized it was none other than Severus, who appeared to have been reading and walking.

"Well, Merry Christmas, Severus," she said as she knelt down and began gathering her students' work. Hermione was reaching to grab one behind her when she heard him softly return the sentiment, and she noted that his voice almost sounded closer than she'd expected. Turning back around, she was surprised to see that Severus was knelt across from her and helping pick up the scattered essays.

"Sorry for running into you, by the way. I should have been paying more attention to where I was going," she said as she paused in what she was doing to look at Severus.

"The same could be said for me, but consider yourself," he reached a long hand out and tucked a rogue curl behind her ear, "forgiven."

Hermione blushed. Merlin, this man knew how to get to her! She took a moment to remind herself that her feelings didn't matter before taking the proffered papers from Severus and accepting the hand he held out to help her up.

"Thanks," she said, wondering if he'd noticed that she'd held on to his hand slightly longer than necessary.

He only nodded, and the two went their separate ways.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Hermione was taking a walk around the grounds. It was colder than she'd thought it would be and she'd forgotten her cloak, but she didn't plan on being out too long. The snow had stopped falling for the time being, but was sure to start again at any time. Her hair was blowing in the wind, her cheeks were sure to be pink from the cold, and now that her marking was finished, she was sure she looked much more relaxed than she had earlier in the day.

Despite the fact she was starting to get really cold, Hermione was happy. There was something so nice about being able to stop and just _be_ , if only for a few moments.

She only stayed where she was for a minute or two before deciding that she best head back to the castle. Turning, she saw a tall, black-clad figure approaching her. What on earth was Severus doing out here?

Hermione met him halfway rather than awkwardly waiting where she'd been before.

"What, exactly, are you doing, Hermione?"

"I was just taking a walk now that I can take time to enjoy the rest of my holiday. And you?"

"To be perfectly honest, I just couldn't fathom why a witch with intelligence of your caliber would be wandering around in the snow without a cloak on. Have you no regard for your own wellbeing?"

Looking up, Hermione realized that the snow was in fact falling again. She absentmindedly started brushing flakes from her hair.

"As a matter of fact, I was on my way back in. I'm not nearly as careless as you seem to think I am, you know," she said with a warm smile.

"Mhmm… I would say that the color looks good on you, but I'm afraid the blue lips are just throwing everything off," he smirked, pulling his cloak off and draping it over Hermione's shoulders.

Even in the cold Hermione could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks. She was conflicted- as much as she tried to remind herself that she was reading too much into it, part of her seemed positive that there was no way this was just Severus being friendly. For the first time since she'd realized how she felt for him, Hermione let herself hope that something could come of this after all.

Severus' cloak was already warm from him having worn it, and Hermione was grateful for the gesture. It was much too big for her, but it smelled of parchment and herbs and Severus and she loved it.

Hermione studied Severus for a long moment. Now that her mind wasn't screaming that Severus would never want her, she was beginning to wonder at all of his kind gestures as of late. Could it be that he was trying to show her how he felt without coming out and saying it? Was it actually possible that he felt the same way?

There was only one way to find out.

In that moment, Hermione decided to take a chance. She was scared to death, but the idea of it working out made her feel warm all over. Taking a deep breath, she stepped closer to Severus until their bodies were almost touching.

"You know, now that you've given your cloak to me, your lips have turned blue enough that they may even match mine. Whatever shall we do about that?"

Her stomach was fluttering, she was so nervous to see how he would react. He remained quiet, but his eyes seemed to grow impossibly deeper as he looked down into her own.

"I think I may have an idea," he murmured.

He leaned down slowly, clearly giving her time to pull away, which Hermione had no intentions of doing. Instead, she stood on her tiptoes so she could reach him faster.

Their lips met then, and it was warm and magical (no pun intended) and to Hermione, it felt like a little promise being made between them. Both their lips were slightly chapped from the cold, but neither seemed to mind. All that existed was the two of them, his hands now on her waist and hers wrapped around his neck.

When they pulled apart, one of Severus' hands moved to cup Hermione's cheek, and she covered it with her own.

"I think I'm still cold," she breathed.

"Hmm… maybe try again once we're inside with some hot chocolate, perhaps?"

Hermione grinned. "I'd like that."

Linking their hands together, Hermione began pulling Severus behind her towards the castle, raising her free hand to her lips and smiling to herself.

This was definitely the best Christmas gift she'd ever gotten, and it was one she had no intentions of giving up anytime soon.


	5. Eight Question Attempts

**A/N: Hi, everyone! I'm going to apologize for any mistakes again; I was in Saint Augustine with some friends from high school all day today and I'm exhausted. It was an awesome day and totally worth having to put on pants and leave my house:) I hope you like this one; it was a cute one to write!**

* * *

Hermione opened her eyes and stretched. Well, she stretched as much as she could with a long, pale arm thrown haphazardly across her stomach.

Severus was still asleep, not that Hermione was surprised- he _really_ wasn't a morning person. He was lying on his stomach and he was facing her, black hair spread across his pillow. His face was as relaxed as it ever was, and Hermione loved these moments- even if only for a few hours, his life was free of any stress whatsoever. She smiled as she lightly ran a finger along the arm that was currently holding her to the bed, knowing that the slight tickling sensation would at least cause him to free her, if it didn't wake him up.

Today was their one-year anniversary, and Hermione had never been happier. Over the course of the past year, there had been a lot of holding hands (covered by Severus' robes, of course), stolen kisses, and nights where Hermione didn't go back to her own rooms until the following morning. She clearly remembered the first night she'd stayed over.

It had been about two months ago, and she had come to Severus' to finish her marking- now that they were together, they had moved from his office to his quarters. He had long since finished his own work and was sat next to her with a book open on his lap. Hermione's day had been particularly long already and she was exhausted, but knew that she had meetings scheduled the following afternoon, so she had to finish it all that night. She had come to dread grading that assignment as it always seemed to be done with very little effort put into it, making it miserable to mark, but it was necessary for the curriculum. At around midnight, Severus had offered to grade some of the many remaining papers, but Hermione let him read one of the more poorly-written ones and he nearly set fire to it in his frustration. By three in the morning, she still wasn't finished, and she'd expected Severus to hint that he was ready for bed hours ago, but he was still sat next to her. Hermione could hear when he stifled a yawn, but if he didn't want her to know, well, she'd pretend not to notice. To be honest, she'd felt that the entire experience would be made so much worse if not for just his quiet presence beside her.

She'd been yawning more and more frequently, and was beginning to worry she'd fall asleep over her marking if she didn't finish soon. As the time neared four-thirty, Hermione finally graded her last paper and rested her head against the arm of the couch and closed her eyes. She couldn't believe she was finally done; she'd started working around eight that evening. Hermione was so tired she didn't know if she could move, but she slowly lifted her head and began to organize the now-graded papers. When she was finished, she looked over at Severus for the first time in almost two hours. He was no longer reading- the book was closed on the end table; he'd probably finished it. Instead, he was holding a cup of tea and clearly fighting some very heavy eyelids. Hermione shook her head and rose, groaning as she felt the tension beginning to leave her back. She moved to gather her things so she could leave, but she had been so riddled with exhaustion that she had nearly toppled over. Thankfully, she'd caught the edge of the table before she could fall completely, but it was enough for Severus to suggest that she stay over, lest she fall and injure herself on the way back to her quarters. Hermione had rolled her eyes, but thanked him for his concern and accepted his offer.

It had been a bit awkward at first as they quickly arranged who would sleep where, but Hermione made it clear that she wanted to lie with Severus, if he were alright with that. That was the first time she had ever seen him blush, but he agreed and once they were both more or less ready for bed, they crawled in together. Hermione surprised even herself and wasted no time in moving as close to him as she dared. Severus had been quick to realize that she was leaving it up to him whether or not they actually got close enough to touch. He chose to lay his arm out, inviting her to sidle up to him. Hermione wiggled over ungracefully, but she didn't much care. All that mattered was that she was in bed and Severus was holding her and she could finally _sleep_.

They'd woken up in almost the exact same way, and Hermione had been spending a few nights a week in Severus' rooms ever since. Every night she was there, they fell asleep holding each other, and almost every morning, they woke up almost completely wrapped around one another. It was one of Hermione's new favorite things, and she missed those nights when she was alone in her own rooms. If not for worrying that she'd become a burden to Severus, she would have been more than willing to spend every night with him. The most intimate they'd been thus far was cuddling- not that Severus was a fan of the word- but Hermione was more than okay with this; she didn't think she was ready to take things any further than that yet, and Severus didn't seem to be in a rush for anything more on that front, either.

So now, able to move since Severus- who hadn't woken up- had moved his arm, Hermione rose and went to the kitchen; she needed tea. Used to being the first awake, Hermione moved silently through his quarters, easily maneuvering from room to room without making a sound. Knowing Severus it could be anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours before he got up, so she pulled her gift out from between the couch cushions and read it over one last time before putting it in an envelope and sealing it away. It was long and sappy and Hermione had felt like a lovesick teenager as she'd written it, but she meant every word and just knowing that Severus would know exactly how she felt towards him made it all worth it. Of course she was a bit nervous that he'd just think it was some cheesy love letter, but to be perfectly fair that was exactly what it was.

Setting the envelope under the tree she'd insisted he put up and help her decorate, Hermione pulled a book off one of the shelves and made herself comfortable as she waited for Severus.

She was half finished with the book by the time he made an appearance, hair rumpled and dressing robe only half-tied, showing more of his well-muscled torso than she'd seen to date. She felt her cheeks go a bit pink, but she just sipped her third cup of tea as if nothing about how she wanted to see the rest of it was currently going through her head.

"Good morning," she said as she smiled up at him. "Merry Christmas!"

He kissed the top of her head before going to pour his own tea. When he returned, he sat next to her and Hermione shifted so that she was leaning against him. They sat like that until Severus was awake enough to be considered coherent, sipping tea and sitting in a comfortable silence.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Severus?"

He was quiet for a moment, and Hermione could tell he was deciding what he wanted to say.

"Do you want… would you like some breakfast?"

Something told her that what came out of his mouth wasn't his intended question, but she let it slide, nodding her head and following him into the kitchen. Severus was an adept chef, and watching him cook was something Hermione was sure she'd never tire of.

"Would you… do you want eggs?"

She made a small noise of confirmation and tried not to stare as she analyzed his behavior. That was twice in less than two minutes he'd stopped and changed his question. He was nervous about something.

Hermione watched as he worked, wishing as she usually did that she could assist him, but knowing that she'd probably just burn everything. There were very few things she could actually make on her own, and even then it could just as easily turn out to be a disaster. Severus had been more than a little amused to learn that there was something aside from divination that Hermione didn't excel at.

"How would you… erm, bacon?"

"Please," she murmured, trying not to do anything to add to his nervousness. If she did, he might not ever get his actual question out.

Hermione would be lying if she said she wasn't becoming more and more curious as to what that question could possibly be, but she'd let him wait until he was ready. She didn't mind waiting.

It was technically late enough for brunch rather than breakfast, but neither Severus nor Hermione really cared. Breakfast was one of Hermione's favorite meals to eat and one of Severus' favorite things to cook, so they ate lots of it. She didn't think she'd ever get over how consistently perfect it was, despite the irony in his hating mornings.

"Can I… could I get you anything to drink?"

"I think I can handle that much," she offered. She poured juice for both of them and took it to the table, setting it down with napkins and silverware. Of course she could have used magic to do it, but she still preferred to do most things the muggle way. Hermione had been pleasantly surprised to find that Severus was the same way.

Two plates of food were set down and she sat next to him, brushing a lock of raven-colored hair behind his ear. Severus glanced at her and gave her a small smile, and they both turned to their plates.

About halfway through, Severus cleared his throat. "Are you… is everything to your liking?"

 _That_ was a question she hadn't heard in months. The fact that he was asking it spoke volumes as to how anxious he was this morning.

"Everything's perfect, as per usual," she reassured him.

He seemed to relax a bit at this, nodding and returning to his meal.

When they'd both finished, Severus rose. "Can I… I'll take your plate," he offered.

"No, Severus, it's alright. I'll do the washing up," she said, taking both of their things to the kitchen without hesitation. Hermione was doing her best to act nonchalant about the whole thing, but she was getting worried. It normally didn't take Severus any more than three attempts to say what was on his mind, let alone six.

As she finished, she heard him return to the kitchen.

"Would you like to… do you want to exchange gifts?"

"Of course," she said, turning off the water and drying her hands. She went to him and began pulling him behind her. Nervous as she was for him to read her note, she was also excited.

"Open mine first," she said, all but pushing the envelope into his hands. He raised a brow, but otherwise didn't react- outwardly, at least. Merlin knew what the man was doing on the inside.

She couldn't watch as he read through it, but she could tell by the sharp intake of breath when he'd gotten to the end. He was quiet for a long moment.

"Is it true?"

Hermione turned to him then. "Of course it's true, Severus. I love you."

At hearing her say the last line of her letter aloud for the first time, his face broke into one of the most genuine smiles she'd ever seen from him.

His whole demeanor seemed to change with that one sentence. Gone were the nerves and anxiety; they were replaced by a very rarely-seen confidence. Hermione smiled. These moments were precious, and she didn't want to miss a second of it.

"I love you, too, which is why I wanted to ask you if… maybe you'd want to move in with me?

Hermione's smile widened even more. She didn't even need to think about this; of course she wanted to live with this man!

"Severus, I don't think anything would make me happier," she said. Then the first part of what he'd said sunk in.

"Wait… you love me?"

He laughed softly. "Of course I do, you silly witch. How else do you think I could have put up with you for this long?"


	6. Seven Empty Boxes

**A/N: Hello again! I started writing this a whole hour earlier than I normally do so I could maybe get it done earlier, but Fun Fact: when you lip between YouTube and a word document, your writing goes a lot slower than you might expect. Whoops...? Anyway, I hope you like this one; I know I definitely do :)**

* * *

Hermione and Severus were sitting on the couch with mugs of hot chocolate, looking at the shadows cast by the fire. The night was cold and their quarters were a bit draftier than they'd been all winter, but there was definitely a warmth in the room that just said 'It's Christmas Eve." She sighed happily to herself; she absolutely loved the holidays. Severus' arm tightened a bit around her shoulders, and Hermione leaned in even closer against his side.

She had come to learn that there was a certain feeling of warmth and safety that came with snuggling with Severus. He was much bigger than she was- she only came up to his shoulders- so his embrace just felt protective, like her own personal cocoon. One night Hermione had tried to explain it to him, but it had ended with both of them laughing over her inability to articulate it.

Even living with him, Hermione only rarely heard Severus laugh. Sure, he chuckled often, and mostly at her expense, but to her, there were very few sounds- if any- that Hermione loved more than his deep, rumbling laugh. It was even better when she was lying with him like she was now and she could hear it more closely. The fact that she made him happy enough that he could laugh like that made Hermione tingle all over; Severus had slowly begun to open up to her more about his dark past, and especially now that she had a little more insight on how much he'd suffered through his life, all Hermione really wanted was to see him as happy as he deserved to be. There was so much to Severus, both as a wizard and as a man, and it pained Hermione that so few people were able to see that.

On the other hand, if more people had opened their eyes to how wonderful he really was, Hermione might not have been in the position she currently found herself in, which she was very happy with. These past two years with Severus had definitely been the highlight of Hermione's existence thus far. Every day, she woke up thinking to herself that she was happier than she'd ever been.

Of course there had been a few arguments; Hermione and Severus were some of the most stubborn people both had ever come into contact with, and they'd expected to have their fair share of disagreements. They were usually small and soon forgotten, but there had been one very shortly after he'd asked her to move in. To be fair, it had mainly been an argument between the two of them and the headmistress, but there had been a moment where they were against each other.

Not even two days after Christmas, Hermione and Severus had gone to tell Minerva their happy news. They hadn't yet told her outright that they were together, but most of the professors seemed to know whether Severus and Hermione wanted them to or not. The elder witch had seemed genuinely happy to see them, and the two had hoped that maybe things would go in their favor.

To keep things relatively short, they hadn't. Minerva had been very happy to learn that they were seeing each other; apparently there had been a bet between the other professors on when it would finally happen, and after asking how long they had actually been together, the headmistress announced that she had won after all. It went downhill from there, though.

The headmistress was very traditional in her views, and both Hermione and Severus had expected her to at least argue against their moving in together, but they had assumed that she'd yield eventually. Minerva had always been much kinder to Severus than most, and she loved Hermione like a daughter, so of course they'd known they had some convincing to do.

What they hadn't counted on was just how adamant the older witch would be. They had gotten quite an earful on how they would be setting a terrible example for the students, and when Hermione had unthinkingly admitted that she was spending at least half of her time at Severus' and they hadn't been found out, things only got worse.

In the end, though, they'd been able to negotiate- she would leave the two in peace as long as they were discreet. If she heard anything at all from the students or saw anything that could even be perceived as unprofessional, she would split them up immediately. Knowing that it was probably as good as they were going to get, they were quick to agree.

The argument between them had come when Minerva was being the most difficult, and Hermione had almost been ready to call the whole thing off just to keep the peace. Severus had been frustrated with her for putting everyone's happiness for her own and made it very clear that he thought Minerva was being ridiculous. It had been resolved quickly, especially once Hermione understood he just wanted her to stop being so willing to put everyone before herself and make herself unhappy.

It turned out to be much easier than they'd thought it would be. Hermione had been right when she said that they'd practically already been doing it right under everyone's noses for two months, so not a whole lot really had to change.

Now, Hermione looked at the clock only to realize that it was only a few minutes away from being Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve. Vanishing her cup to the kitchen, she abruptly rose and held her hand out to Severus. Although it had been a very relaxed day, Hermione was tired and wanted nothing more than to lie with Severus as she fell asleep.

And that was exactly what she did.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione woke to find that she was in bed alone. Frowning, she reached her arm across the bed and found that it was cold. Wondering how long Severus had been up, she rolled out of bed and pulled on her dressing gown.

Stepping out into the sitting room, she found Severus- rather, she found his cup of tea and the open book he must have been reading. This was strange- and also reminding her of herself a year ago.

It didn't take Hermione very long to find him- he was coming out of the kitchen with a cup of tea just as she was entering, and Severus was so startled that he nearly dropped it. They both murmured their apologies and Severus held the mug out to Hermione.

"I heard you get up," he said by way of explanation. She nodded her understanding and they both went back out to the sitting room.

Once they were both seated with their tea, Hermione shifted so she was facing him. Leaning over, she kissed him softly on the lips.

"Merry Christmas, Severus," she said, smiling up at him.

"Mmm," was his only response as he moved to kiss her again. Everything about them just seemed to fit perfectly together, and their kisses were no different.

When they finally pulled apart, Severus brushed his hands through Hermione's riotous curls.

"I have something for you," he murmured.

His arms were long enough that he could pull his gift out from under the tree without getting up, and he handed the box to Hermione with a smile she would label as more shy than anything else.

She unwrapped it, smiling at Severus as she did so. It was very light, especially considering its size, and she was definitely curious to know what was in it. Opening it, she was surprised to pull out another wrapped box. Oh, no- if this was going where she thought it was going…

"Severus, you _didn't_ ," she groaned. He only smirked in response, and she shook her head. He _would_ do something like this.

Inside this box was another, then another, and another…

She kept going until she finally reached what she was pretty sure was the last one. Looking around her, she counted seven boxes scattered around their sitting room, and she mock-glared at Severus.

"I swear to Merlin, if there's _another_ one in here, Severus…"

He only smirked again, and she turned her full attention to opening the little box currently in her hands. She was so focused on tearing off the paper- had he really put three layers of paper on this one?- that she didn't notice him moving to sit on his knees on the ground in front of her.

Finally freeing the little box from what she knew to be entirely too much wrapping paper, Hermione gasped. It was a small, black velvet box that usually held…

Opening it with shaking hands, Hermione felt her eyes well up with tears as she looked down and saw a ring sitting in the box. A long, pale hand reached out and took the box and another took her hand, and Hermione was startled to find Severus was now kneeling at her feet.

"Hermione," he said softly, "I know I've really only just begun to let you in and share my past with you, but you must know that with you, I'm happier than I could have ever hoped to be. Never in my life did I expect to love anyone, let alone have anybody love me, yet here you are. You are one of the most extraordinary witches I've ever known, and by far one of the best people. I can't picture living my life with anyone other than you. Hermione Granger, will you please allow me the honor of becoming your husband?"

For a moment, she could only sit there, tears still flowing down her cheeks. She then tried to answer, but she was so choked up she couldn't get the words out. In the end, she just nodded, bending down and kissing Severus passionately.

Pulling away, Severus turned her hand and sliding the ring gently onto her finger.

"I love you so much," she was able to get out, holding his face in both her hands.

"And I you," he murmured, pulling her down onto his lap so he could embrace her and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

As he held her, Hermione noted that this had definitely been worth the seven empty boxes.


	7. Six Name Ideas

**A/N: Hello! This one was a fun one to write, mostly because I got to look at a lot of cute pictures in the process. In case you're wondering (when you get there), all the names are the first names of composers. Anyway, I hope you like it!**

* * *

"Severus, love, I'm going out! I should be back in about an hour," Hermione called to her husband of four months.

Not waiting for his answer, she slipped out the door and walked quickly through the castle. She had everything arranged already, so it was just a matter of actually getting it all put together. Over the past couple of weeks, she had begun getting things here and there, and the headmistress was allowing Hermione to hide it away in her rooms until tomorrow morning.

Hurrying across the grounds, Hermione wished she'd grabbed her warmer cloak, but she didn't have time to go back and get it now. She could always summon it, but she didn't trust Severus not to follow it- he'd begun letting on that he knew she was up to something, and he was just as curious as she was, if not more so.

There was an older wizard who lived on the far end of Hogsmeade who worked in Scrivenshaft's. Hermione had been talking to him one afternoon as she picked out some new quills, and had come to find out that his cat had recently had kittens. Coincidentally, Severus had opened up before this about the fact that he'd never had a pet of his own before. With this in mind, she asked a few questions, and now she was on her way to pick one out.

This was the first pet Hermione was going to have since losing Crookshanks during her last year in Germany, but she felt okay about this. She'd been worried that maybe it would be difficult to go and see the little ones, but Hermione found herself more excited than anything else- Severus would never see this coming.

Finally entering the quill shop, Hermione smiled at the older man and followed him to his flat upstairs. Every time she had needed to come this way since learning about the kittens, she'd come in and asked after them. There were six in total, two boys and four girls. They all had very different personalities, and Hermione couldn't wait to see which one would be the best match for Severus.

She slowly approached the little play area that had been set up for the kittens, and Hermione took a moment to just watch them interact with one another. One was taking a nap in the corner farthest away from the others- a girl, according to the man. Four of them were pouncing on one another and taking away each other's toys; the wizard pointed out the other three females as well as one of the boys. The last one was playing, but he left alone to entertain himself, which he was doing by lying on his back and batting at a feather that was dangling above him.

With the wizard's permission, Hermione carefully stepped into the play area, crouching down and laughing as all of the kittens- even the sleepy one- came to investigate their new guest. She was eventually deemed too boring for all but one.

The kitten who had previously been left to his own devices was now sitting at Hermione's left foot, seemingly fascinated by her boot laces.

He was mostly black, with white on his paws, chest and belly, half of his nose and mouth, and a small white streak between his eyes. Hermione gently scooped him up, running her fingers through his soft fur. Her brown eyes met his green ones, and she turned to look at the wizard.

"I think he's the one," she told him. He smiled down at her, and Hermione was briefly reminded of Dumbledore. Rising with the kitten hugged lightly to her chest, she paid the old man, wished him a merry Christmas, and tucked the kitten under her cloak as she went back out into the cold.

Luckily, he didn't squirm around too much, making it easier to hold him as she went. Of course she had a carrier with her, but he was soft and warm and precious and Hermione didn't really want to put him down.

Hermione breathed a small sigh of relief when she found herself at Minerva's door; she doubted this little kitten would be any match for the elder witch if he tried to escape.

The headmistress was fond of him almost immediately, and Hermione knew he was in good hands. Making plans to come collect him and all of his things, Hermione bid Minerva good night and rushed back to the dungeons. She had checked the time as she entered the castle, and had already been gone nearly thirty minutes longer than she'd said she would be. Severus was prone to worrying about her when she was late, and she also didn't want him asking questions.

Well, more than he already had been, anyway.

* * *

Pulling the beaded bag off the table and making herself more or less presentable, Hermione quietly slipped out of their rooms and went to meet Minerva. The headmistress had everything ready to go, and Hermione carefully took the kitten from her hands after packing his shrunken things away.

Upon returning, Hermione put everything in the places she'd subtly made- food in the cupboard, bowl in the corner, toys in a small bin in the sitting room.

Her finishing touch was the ribbon she struggled (but succeeded) to get around the kitten's neck. Hermione sighed- all they needed in this household was even more stubbornness.

Making tea and leaving the kitten in the kitchen while ensuring he was unable to escape, Hermione went to wake Severus.

He grumbled as he was pulled from sleep, but a soft kiss on the forehead from Hermione followed by one to each cheek and finally his lips, he was awake and slightly less grumpy than he normally was in the mornings.

Once he was sat up in bed, Hermione handed him the tea she'd brought him and somehow managed not to spill all over herself.

"I've got quite a surprise for you," she murmured before sipping her own tea.

Severus raised a brow. "Do you, now?"

She smirked. "Don't act so surprised; I know you know I've been doing something, just like I know it's driving you mad not knowing what it is."

"Perhaps," he drawled. "Let me guess- if I want to see what's so exciting, I've got to get my lazy arse out of bed?"

Hermione beamed at him. "But of course."

With that, she got up and walked out the room, unable to hold back her laughter when she heard Severus groan in annoyance.

She waited in the sitting room until Severus emerged and made himself comfortable. "Alright, witch, haven't you held me in suspense for long enough?"

"Well, now that you've put it that way…" Hermione answered, earning herself another groan.

"Alright, alright, I'll get it. Close your eyes," she ordered.

Seeing him do as she asked- well, told- after only a brief moment of hesitation, Hermione rushed to the kitchen to fetch the kitten before sitting back down next to her husband.

"You can open your eyes now."

He did so and turned towards her. Hermione could spot the exact moment he realized what exactly she was holding. His eyes widened and his mouth opened just the tiniest bit before Hermione was graced with one of her favorite things to see- one of his rare but genuine smiles. Without either saying a thing, Hermione handed the kitten over to Severus.

"Before you ask, he's a boy, he's yours, and as of now, he is lacking a name," she said as Severus sat petting the kitten.

Entranced as he was, Hermione could tell he'd heard her; she could practically see the gears turning in his head.

Hermione rose, planting a gentle kiss to his head as she went. "Merry Christmas, Severus."

He looked up. "Where are you going?"

"I was going to give you two a moment so you could work on naming him," she answered.

"Why would you do that? Aren't you going to help?"

"Severus, he's your cat. You get to choose his name. But," she added upon seeing his small frown, "if you want me to stay, I'll stay."

He nodded, so she went back to her seat. Severus gestured for her to lie down, so Hermione shifted so that her head was on his lap and he placed the kitten on her stomach.

"Did you have anything in mind?" she asked.

"I had a few ideas… I've already ruled out Max, Franz, and Jean. Past that, though, I haven't come up with anything."

Hermione took a moment to think, watching the kitten roll onto his back and start swatting at the hand she was dangling over him.

"What about Gabriel?"

Continuing to watch the unnamed kitten, Severus considered it. "Maybe," he said.

She didn't know how long they sat there trying to think of what to name the kitten, but in the end they had gotten it down between Nikolai and Claude.

Deciding to take a break from thinking about it, Hermione and Severus took time to just play with the little kitten. Well, Severus was playing with him; all Hermione could do was sit and watch Severus. The kitten had transformed him, and he had smiled more today than Hermione had seen in weeks. She was so happy to see Severus smile that she didn't notice when he picked the kitten up and turned his attention to Hermione.

"Thank you for him, Hermione," he said softly. Startled, she jumped and focused on Severus, realizing she'd gotten lost in thought. It was in that moment that the kitten decided to meow for the first time either had heard. It was a small sound, but it made them both smile at him and then at each other.

"I believe I've made up my mind," Severus murmured.

"And?"

"Meet Claude."


	8. Five Distractions

**A/N: Hello! So, I think this is the shortest thing I've ever written, but I had no idea what else to put in this chapter. I didn't want to make it graphic (I also didn't really know how). Anyway, I did my best, and I hope you like it!**

* * *

The teacup Hermione had been washing fell to the floor, smashing against the cold stone. It was, coincidentally, the same one she'd broken years ago when Severus had come up behind her during her first year of teaching. This time, though, she hadn't dropped it because of her husband.

Well, technically she had, but only indirectly.

Completely disregarding the teacup, Hermione wrapped her arms protectively around her swollen abdomen. She was just over eight months pregnant, but it seemed as if their baby was as impatient as its parents.

"Severus!"

He appeared almost immediately, presumably running from their room to the kitchen. Hermione really wasn't supposed to be out of bed, but she had been getting restless. She'd figured that getting up and going across their quarters couldn't do any harm, so she waited until after Severus fell asleep- ever since Poppy had told Hermione she was on bed-rest, he'd been doing what he could to keep Hermione from getting up. As much as she appreciated his taking care of her, Hermione wasn't made for sitting around with nothing to do.

"Hermione? What is it? And _why_ are you out of bed?"

Even through the pain of the contractions, Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes. Of course he would be worried about that.

"It's time," she panted out. His eyes widened and he froze up before he quickly snapped out of it.

"Alright, it's okay. I've got you," he said, placing a gentle arm around her waist. He led her to the fireplace, flooing them both to the hospital wing.

Severus was quick to lie Hermione down and send a patronus to the matron. Had Hermione been able to focus on anything other than the intense pain, she would have noted that it was almost three in the morning and Poppy was probably asleep. However, as another contraction tore through her, she abandoned all thought in favor of taking Severus' hand and squeezing, barely hearing the reassurances he was murmuring in her ear.

The matron came rushing into the infirmary, hurrying to check over Hermione. That was all she registered, though, as she was overtaken by more pain.

Hermione's breath was short and she was struggling to get it under control, but suddenly Severus was trying to get her attention.

"…listening? List the ingredients of a typical love potion."

She recognized the distraction for what it was, but she welcomed it. "Rose thorns-"

"In alphabetical order, if you please."

Hermione huffed out a breath. "Ashwinder eggs…"

She continued listing in between contractions, which were coming closer and closer together. She could see a slight panic in Severus' face as he struggled to come up with things to keep her mind off the pain. He succeeded in making her temporarily focus on different objects around the room; he droned on about random topics until Hermione almost screamed at him to quit; he hummed Debussy's _Nocturnes_ to her (which did calm her for a short while, until the pain became stronger); Merlin, he'd even pulled a deck of cards out of some hidden pocket in his robes and gotten her to play Go Fish.

In the end, the pain became intense enough that nothing Severus tried could keep her mind off of it. Hermione had been doing an admirable job of reminding herself that this would all be worth it in the end, but now she just wanted it over and to never do this again.

Later, she would be kindly reminded by Severus of all the lovely things she'd said during labor, including all of her cursing him for doing this to her in the first place.

Hermione wasn't sure how long she'd been in labor, but something changed and she had to push. Severus seemed to register this and called Poppy back over.

* * *

Sweat making her hair stick to her forehead and feeling sore all over, Hermione was sat up in bed, holding her newborn daughter to her breast.

She sat and studied their daughter. Her hair was the same dark shade as her father's, and she had his eyes, as well. Severus had been relieved to find that she seemed to have Hermione's nose. She was beautiful, and both Hermione and Severus were already in love with her.

"I just can't believe she's finally here," Hermione whispered. "She's perfect."

Severus hummed in agreement. Looking to her husband, Hermione smiled. "Do you want to hold her?"

He nodded, and she placed the baby gently in his arms. Once she was situated, Severus traced her features with his finger.

"Flora Nova Snape," he murmured. Hermione was in love with his small smile, the pure affection in his face warming her heart. He'd been so anxious about becoming a father seeing as his own had been a terrible example, but Hermione had known right from the start that he'd be wonderful.

"When can we go home?" she asked.

"Poppy said you should be fine to leave in the morning," he said, not looking up from Flora.

Hermione nodded, even though she was sure he wouldn't see it.

"Severus?"

"Hmm?"

"Merry Christmas."


	9. Four Days In Bed

**A/N: Hello! Can you believe we're almost done already? It's gone by so fast, and it feels like it'll be 2016 before we know it! Anyway, enjoy:)**

* * *

It had been bound to happen eventually, and Hermione was honestly surprised it had taken this long. Winters in Scotland were harsh, and both she and Severus spent a fair amount of time around students with the common cold. So, when the sneezing had started and the stuffy nose made an appearance, Hermione wasn't the least bit shocked. The fact that Severus was a terrible patient hadn't caught her off guard, either.

Ever since Severus had started feeling under the weather three days ago, Hermione had been keeping a watchful eye over him. He'd taken some of his potions, but they weren't going to help him recover completely. Thankfully, his sore throat was going away and he could mostly talk again- the two days he had been without his voice had been miserable. Hermione didn't think she'd ever seen her husband in a worse mood, and she was sure she never wanted to see it again.

On top of dealing with her ill husband, Hermione was also responsible for Claude and Flora. The cat wasn't too much of an issue; he was curled up on Hermione's side of the bed so he could lie with Severus.

Flora, though, was very attached to her father, and no matter how many times Hermione explained it to the one-year-old (not that Hermione expected her to understand, of course), she couldn't make her daughter understand that when Daddy had a fever, he needed to be left by himself until it went away.

Balancing Flora on her hip and carrying an extra blanket, Hermione went to put the baby down for her afternoon nap and went to check up on Severus.

He was awake, if his muttering curses to the cat was any indication. Claude continued sleeping through Severus' invective, but his ears pricked when he heard Hermione enter.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as she placed a hand on Severus' forehead.

"Oh, I feel perfect. Never better," he said with a scowl. Hermione noted that Flora was quickly mastering one to match, and was also beginning to figure out that it was nearly impossible for Severus to resist. They'd have to discuss that at some point…

"I'm glad to hear it," she said in a mockingly cheery voice. His scowl deepened and she flashed a sweet grin at him before lying the blanket she'd brought over him.

"Although," she continued, "I'm not sure carrying on one-way conversations with Claude is a good sign Maybe I should fetch Poppy…"

"Don't you dare."

Hermione felt bad for him, she really did, but the scratchy voice mixed with the nasally tone was almost too much. His words didn't carry nearly as much impact when he was under three blankets, forehead damp with sweat and his hair spread out on his pillow. She was able to hold back her laughter, but a smile escaped her.

Hoping he wouldn't notice, she carried on handing him a vial and ordering him to swallow the contents. Severus did as he was told, but he was eyeing her suspiciously.

"This isn't funny," he complained.

"Oh, I'm sure it isn't, love," she told him. "Christmas is a terrible time to fall ill, but it has definitely given you something to smile about."

"What are you on about?"

"Severus, you haven't had to leave our rooms all week. When's the last time you had to deal with another human being, with the exception of myself or your daughter?"

He was quiet for a long moment, during which Hermione dabbed his forehead with a cold flannel. She took the silence as her husband admitting defeat, and she smiled softly at him.

"Your fever feels as if it's beginning to go back down; maybe you'll be over it soon and Flora will stop being so difficult."

He raised a brow. "What's she done?"

"Well, she's got you so wrapped around her little finger that she's used to pouting like you to get what she wants. Mummy, however, doesn't fall for that trick, and that isn't going over very well at all."

He scowled again. "I don't give her what she wants when she pouts. And I don't pout, I _glare_."

"Mhmm. So you lying there with your arms crossed and your bottom lip sticking out just the tiniest bit is a glare?"

"My lip isn't sticking out."

Hermione looked at him, disbelieving, until he looked away, cheeks slightly pink- although whether in embarrassment or from the fever, she couldn't be sure.

She decided to take pity on him. Running her fingers through his hair, Hermione kissed the tip of his nose.

"Well, my point is that you seem to be feeling better and hopefully you'll be able to placate your daughter soon."

Severus tried to tilt his head so she kissed his lips instead, but Hermione saw it coming and moved. "Sorry, love. If I get sick, who on earth will take care of you and Flora? I suppose we could get the matron, or maybe some elves. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to help. Ooh, maybe even Minerva…"

"Alright, alright, that's enough already," he groaned.

Hermione laughed lightly. "I'll be back to check on you in a bit."

With that, she went to finish picking up Flora's scattered toys, leaving her still-scowling husband behind her.


	10. Three Days Away

**A/N: Hello! So, I knew there was a possibility of Drarry making an appearance in this fic and they have been mentioned once or twice, but we finally get to see them today. They're actually really cute to write; maybe I'll try my hand at writing them one day? Enjoy, and I'll see y'all tomorrow!**

* * *

"It hasn't been so bad, has it?"

Severus sighed. "No, I must admit it has been a much better trip than I expected it to be. You've done well with the flat; I'm impressed."

"But there's no way you can be surprised, Uncle. I am my father's son, after all," Draco smirked.

"That you are," Severus agreed.

That was the only bit of the conversation Hermione overheard before she moved to the other side of the room where Harry sat, Flora sleeping with her head resting on his leg.

"Thank you for opening your home to us, Harry. It's been too long since we all got together."

Her best friend grinned. "Yeah, it has. Unfortunately, even after all these years, I'm still not your husband's favorite person, you know."

"Oh, he would never tell you, but he doesn't mind you nearly as much as he used to," Hermione said with a laugh.

"Good to know. Really, though, I was surprised you could get him to agree to stay with us for an entire three days."

"Harry, even Severus Snape wouldn't begrudge his daughter the chance to see her godfathers on Christmas and her birthday. He knows how much she adores you and Draco."

"She adores us, does she?"

"How could she not? The girl's only two years old and you two already spoil her rotten. Speaking of children, though, how have things been with the adoption center?"

Harry sighed. "It's been rough. There aren't nearly as many wizarding orphans as there were during the war- which, don't get me wrong, is a really good thing. But it's just been really hard on both of us. If this keeps on much longer, we might actually start looking into a muggle orphanage that isn't too far away."

Hermione was shocked. "Draco would do that for you? I know he's changed a lot, but…"

"He's the one who suggested it, actually. We both want this so badly it hurts, Hermione. Even when we got married, I just didn't think he'd ever want to raise a child with me; it never really felt like an option. But I love him so much and I was willing to just… give that up for him. Do you know what I mean?"

"Harry, think for a second about who I married. Do you have any idea how surprised I was to find that Severus did, in fact, want children one day? When I first began to realize how serious we were about each other, it did weigh in my mind. Almost immediately, I knew that between the two, it was Severus that I absolutely couldn't live without, if it came to that. Thankfully it didn't, but yes, I know exactly what you're feeling."

He was silent for a long moment. "Hermione, do you think that if we were to adopt a muggle- Merlin, we'd probably have to leave the wizarding world…"

She reached out and put her hand on his. "If there's anyone who can get away with raising their muggle child in the wizarding world, it's Harry-bloody-Potter-Malfoy. There's no way the Ministry would even think about troubling you and Draco, especially with Kingsley being the Minister. The only person I think you may have to worry about would be Lucius."

"You're probably right about that. Lucius was upset enough when Draco informed him that he wouldn't be producing an heir, and I'm pretty sure he almost went round the bend when Draco brought me to the manor for the first time. Draco's parents have both changed a lot, but I do worry sometimes. I mean, I don't think I could live with myself if it came down to Draco having to choose between me and his parents; of course I'd want him to stay with me, but I can't tear his family apart."

This was one of the very few times Hermione had ever witnessed her best friend in tears, and her heart broke a little bit for him. In moments like these, she couldn't help but see the little boy she'd grown up with. Moving so she was sat on his other side, Hermione pulled Harry into a hug.

No words were needed as Hermione held him until he'd regained his composure. Harry's life had been stressful enough already; couldn't he just catch a break? Kissing the top of his head and ruffling his hair, Hermione rose and gently scooped Flora up.

"I'm going to take her to bed before either we wake her up or she rolls onto the floor in her sleep, but I'll be back in a moment, alright?"

He nodded, bending down to kiss his goddaughter on the cheek. Hermione still remembered how excited he and Draco had been when she and Severus had told them that they were expecting and wanted to know if the two would be their child's godfathers.

As cynical as Harry was about how Severus saw him, Hermione knew that the moment Draco had accepted Harry's proposal, her best friend had become family. Severus had always seen Draco as the son he'd never had and was his biggest supporter right from the start. If Harry made Draco happy, Severus was willing to at least _try_ and accept him. So, it had been an easy decision for her and her husband; there was nobody they'd rather ask.

Returning to the sitting room, Hermione saw an owl quickly approaching the window. Crossing the room to open it, she glanced at Harry questioningly, whose expression matched hers. Who on earth would be sending post at eleven at night on Christmas?

The owl landed next to Harry, who took the paper from its leg and gave it a treat. Closing the window behind it, Hermione watched out of the corner of her eye as her friend read through whatever he'd just received.

At his sharp intake of breath, Hermione looked up. She was surprised to see that her best friend had tears trickling down his cheeks for the second time that night, but this time they were paired with one of the biggest smiles she'd ever seen.

Suddenly he bolted up and threw his arms around her, lifting her slightly and spinning her around before putting her down and running onto the balcony.

"Draco! Look at this!" he cried, pushing the paper into his husband's face and interrupting whatever conversation he and Severus had been having.

The blonde looked at Harry strangely before scanning through the post.

"Misters Potter-Malfoy… pleased to inform you… such a long wait… eight-month-old twins… one boy, one girl… to be released into your care a week from today…"

Hermione squealed, hugging both Harry and Draco before kissing Severus firmly on the mouth. She was elated for her friends; if anyone deserved this, it was the two of them.

Taking her husband's hand and leading him back inside the flat to give the soon-to-be fathers a moment. She had been going back to the sitting room, but when she yawned Severus kept walking and they both began getting ready for bed.

"Isn't this wonderful, Severus?" she whispered once they were in bed, not wanting to wake Flora, whose bed was set up in the corner of the room.

"It is," he murmured, pulling her to him.

Hermione curled up against his chest, sighing happily when he wrapped his arms around her. "Love you," she mumbled as she drifted off to sleep.

The last thing she heard was his whispered, "And I you."


	11. Two Months' Sickness

**A/N: Hi! I hate that this one is so short, but when it feels like a good place to end it, I can't rationalize adding to it just for the sake of adding to it. Anyway, Merry Christmas eve, and I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow for our conclusion!**

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Christmas morning, Hermione jumped out of bed, not bothering to try and avoid waking Severus. She could hear Flora babbling to herself in her room, but Hermione paid it no mind. Making a beeline for the bathroom, she hunched over the toilet and was violently sick.

She'd been waking up this way every morning for nearly two months, and as excited as she was that she and Severus were expecting again, Hermione didn't know how much more of this she could take. This pregnancy wasn't going nearly as nicely as her first had. Not only did she have more severe morning sickness, but she was exhausted all the time and Severus had pointed out her mood swings over the past couple of weeks.

Hermione felt her hair- which had been pulled back at some point- being released and a cold cloth being pressed against her forehead. Of course she'd woken Severus, and of course he had come to sit with her like he had every morning since she'd first been sick.

She leaned back so that her back was pressed against him where she felt him crouched behind her. His hands rubbed softly up and down her arms, offering silent comfort until she was able to get up and brush her teeth.

"Sorry for waking you up again," she murmured when she'd finished.

"Hermione, you don't have anything to apologize for," he said, gently placing his hand on her abdomen.

She smiled and stood up on her toes so she could kiss his cheek. "I've got to go get Flora; she's been up and talking to herself for who knows how long."

"I'll get her," Severus offered. "You can make yourself comfortable and I'll us some tea."

"Thank you, love," she sighed.

Hermione went into the sitting room and curled up on the couch. When she saw Severus come out with Flora, she opened her arms and their daughter ran to her.

"Happy birthday, my darling," Hermione said as she hugged Flora lightly, "and Merry Christmas!"

Tired as she was, Hermione couldn't say no to her little girl's dark curls and infectious giggle. In the end, both she and Flora were laughing and Hermione was able to forget for a moment how awful she was feeling.

When she heard Severus come back, she turned her head, and was pleased to find he was smiling, too. She beckoned him over and kissed him, and when Flora wiggled between them, she and Severus embraced their daughter.

If this was to be the best part of Hermione's day, she would be perfectly okay with that.

Later that evening, after Flora had opened her gifts and tired of chasing Claude around their rooms, Severus and Hermione sat on the couch with their little girl curled up between them. Severus had a copy of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ open on his lap, and he was reading aloud to both Hermione and Flora- both of whom were quickly falling asleep.

Hermione didn't hear him stop reading, nor did she hear him take Flora to bed. She did, however, wake up just enough to know what was going on when she felt his strong arms lift her up so he was holding her bridal-style against his chest. She felt him carry her to their room, undress her, and tuck her in before crawling in beside her. Hermione smiled when she felt his long fingers brushing lightly through her hair.

She loved this man and the family they were building together with all her heart. If anything ever happened to any of them- Severus, Flora, Claude, the little one growing inside her- she knew it would hurt more than she could ever imagine. Being tortured by Bellatrix would pale in comparison to losing any part of her family.

Moving closer to Severus, she forced herself to wake up completely. She turned her head, moving until her face met her husband's.

"I love you," she whispered, kissing him softly.

His lips were slow and gentle against hers.

"I love you as well, Hermione. Now, go back to sleep; I'm sure you have another early morning ahead of you."

She groaned. "Thanks for reminding me. Goodnight, Severus."

His only response was to place his hand on her abdomen and kiss her on the top of the head, and they fell asleep almost immediately.


	12. And a New Hogwarts Tradition

**A/N: And so our little journey comes to an end! I hope everyone has had a lovely Christmas, and thank you all so much for sharing my first holiday fic with me! Maybe I'll try another someday? Anyway, I hope you like it, and I'm sure I'll see you all again sometime! Thanks again :)**

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"Of course it worked; it was a great idea, Severus. Now, I can't say whether they all went along with it because they wanted to or if they were just afraid of upsetting the big, bad Headmaster, but either way, I think it should definitely continue."

It was nearly two o'clock Christmas morning, and Hermione and Severus were sat in the headmaster's office. Flora was asleep in her room in their new quarters, and Hermione was nursing Lyle, who was still proving to be more difficult than his sister had been. Even at just over five months old, he rarely slept through the night, and Hermione couldn't remember the last time she'd gotten a full night's sleep. It helped a little that Severus got up with her most of the time, even though he didn't have to.

This was her husband's first year as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since Minerva had retired at the end of the school year before, and Hermione thought he was doing a wonderful job. When the elder witch had first broached the subject with Severus, he had been completely shocked. He'd come back to their quarters that night and Hermione had easily been able to tell that he had never expected an opportunity such as this being offered to him, but he had taken it with almost no hesitation. He had later told Hermione that just being Minerva's first choice was one of the biggest honors anyone had ever given him.

As far as the school- and wizarding Britain as a whole- had come since the end of the war, there was still growth to be had. Severus had said from the start that one of his biggest goals was to unify the school even farther; she'd never said anything, but Hermione had always wondered if one of his biggest motivations for this was his upbringing. She had come to learn that Severus' home life as a child had been far from ideal, and his life at school hadn't been any better. Whether or not that was where the idea came from, Hermione had been fully supporting her husband since day one, offering suggestions when asked.

His big idea for the holidays had been a school-wide secret Santa gift exchange. Every student's name, House, and year had been placed in a large bowl in the front of the Great Hall, and each student went up and picked a piece of paper from the bowl. They had two weeks to get to know one another a bit and come up with a gift before winter break started and most students left the castle. Hermione had been mildly surprised to hear that most of the students seemed to think the whole thing was her idea and she was making Severus do it, but she had only ever smiled and shaken her head slightly at the students. She couldn't really blame them; it was likely that as a student, she would have suspected an outside influence, too. Not that it was the same thing; Severus was allowed to be who he wanted to be, which he hadn't been able to do in her years here.

Everything had worked seamlessly; the gifts had all been exchanged at dinner before most of the students left the castle, and Hermione had been happy to see that so many of the students seemed to have become friends. As she had watched it all unfold, she hadn't been able to keep from wondering what her school life would have been like if she'd come to Hogwarts after the war. Part of her longed for just the idea of a normal childhood, but she thought about the person she'd become and knew that even if she had a choice she wouldn't change a thing.

Jerked suddenly from her thoughts by something pulling at her arms, Hermione looked up and saw Severus gently taking Lyle from her and reaching to button her shirt back up.

"Hermione, you're exhausted. You nearly fell asleep with the baby still held to your chest," he murmured.

She blinked. Had she really been falling asleep? She didn't know.

Rising and stretching, Hermione felt her eyes begin to close again before Severus' arm that wasn't holding their son was wrapped around her waist.

"Why don't you go back to bed while I put Lyle down, hm?"

She nodded, her head heavy. Taking a step forward, she nearly fell before Severus caught her again.

"On second thought, maybe I should help you to bed first…"

Had she been just slightly more awake, Hermione would have thought she was being ridiculous. Now, though, she didn't much care. As much as she enjoyed taking care of her family and even her students, she lived for the moments when Severus made sure she was looked after- sometimes there just weren't enough hours in a day to make sure she kept up with herself as well as everything else. Even with the help of a substitute in her classes, she struggled to balance everything. She was getting better at it, though, and Severus made sure she wasn't left to do it all on her own, unless he had a long list of potions to brew for the infirmary and couldn't afford to leave his laboratory. The new potions professor technically could have done it, but Severus insisted that he'd already been doing it for decades; he might as well continue. Hermione knew he was also still learning to balance all of his work as Headmaster now that he could do it properly.

"Hermione… can you please try to stay awake long enough for me to get you upstairs? I can't carry you and Lyle at the same time, and I would rather not leave you here to fall on the floor."

Even sleep-addled she knew he could technically keep her hovering in front of or behind him, but she didn't really want a repeat of the first- and only- time he'd done that, when he'd been distracted by Claude and her leg had banged against a table, leaving a nasty bruise that he was kind enough to heal for her.

Fighting to keep her eyes open (which was difficult when you weren't even aware you were drifting off), Hermione sighed when Severus finally helped her to their room where, not even bothering to undress, she threw herself into bed.

As she finally fell asleep, she thought of her husband, the cat, their children, how far they'd come in their careers, how much happier Severus was now, how happy _she_ was now. Hermione knew her life wasn't perfect, but it was perfect for her and her family, and that was good enough for her.

She thought of years and years of Christmases, each of which had led bit-by-bit to the life she had now. Almost everything she held near and dear was arguably the result of a Christmas miracle, and Hermione knew she'd never love another holiday nearly as much as she'd come to love Christmas.


End file.
